Campaign in support of Ghoncheh Ghavami needs to be continued

Ghoncheh Ghavami, the Iranian-British woman who was arrested in June 2014 for trying to watch men’s volleyball in the Azadi stadium in Tehran-Iran, was released on bail on 23 November. Prior to her release she was informed that she is sentenced to one year in prison and also has been banned from leaving Iran for two years.

Goncheh is released on bail temporary until the appeal court but her charges are not dropped and she could be taken back to prison any time. Campaign in support of Ghoncheh needs to be continued until all the charges are dropped and she is returned to the UK safely.

Ghoncheh’s release shows the importance of the international support. During Ghoncheh’s campaign which was initially launched by her family, more than 700.000 have signed her petition. Her case has also attracted the attention to the lack of women’s rights in Iran. If it wasn’t for the international campaign perhaps Ghoncheh would have been still kept in prison.

Ghoncheh’s release has once more reminds us of the condition of the other Iranian-British woman, Roya Saberinejad who has been in prison in Iran since October 2013 and has been sentenced to 20 years in prison over writing anti régime comments on her Facebook. Roya is currently in the most notorious women prison in Iran called Shahre Ray prison

Please see the following information on Ghoncheh Ghavami and Roya Saberinejad and support both campaigns. Ghoncheh and Roya and their families need your support.

Roya Saberinejad Nobakht, 48, is a British-Iranian citizen who has been in prison in Iran since October 2013. Roya is sentenced to 20 years in prison for writing comments about the Islamic regime on her Facebook page. She has been subjected to physical and psychological torture. During the trial her lawyer was present but not allowed to speak on her behalf. Roya was transferred to Shahre Rey Prison which is an infamous women prison in Iran. She is under immense pressure.

Ghonche Ghavami is a 25 years old Iranian-British woman, who studied law in SWAS University in London, has been in prison since June 2014. Ghoncheh was arrested when she was trying to enter the Azadi stadium in Tehran to watch men’s volleyball. In Iran, according to the government’s Islamic law, women are not allowed to enter stadiums to watch sports. In Iran, according to the government’s Islamic law, women are not allowed to enter stadiums to watch sports.